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In a rapidly evolving digital age, one name is emerging as a beacon of hope within Nigeria’s tech landscape—Obie Okoye. This dynamic entrepreneur from Anambra State, raised in Enugu, is not only revolutionizing how technology is integrated into local businesses but also setting new standards for community engagement and education. Okoye embarked on his entrepreneurial journey fueled by a desire to help local enterprises overcome technological barriers. He founded his first startup, creating bespoke software that streamlined operations and solved real-world challenges for small to medium-sized businesses. Understanding that local entrepreneurs often lacked access to advanced technological resources, Okoye tailored his solutions to meet their specific needs. As his reputation grew, so did his ambition. Okoye transitioned into Software as a Service (SaaS), launching platforms that provided scalable solutions for companies at every stage of their growth. His innovative approach garnered significant attention from investors, resulting in successful acquisitions and solidifying his position as a leading figure in Nigeria’s tech community. However, what truly distinguishes Okoye is his commitment to giving back. Recognizing that technological advancement should benefit all layers of society, he has dedicated considerable resources to developing educational programs aimed at empowering youth. His partnerships with local educational institutions focus on implementing tech literacy initiatives that prepare the next generation for successful careers in technology. “Empowering our youth with technology is essential for building a prosperous future,” Okoye stated at a recent community event. “We must equip them with the skills needed to navigate and thrive in a digital economy.” Okoye’s impact reaches beyond just technical mentorship; he has also launched a scholarship fund to support underprivileged students pursuing careers in technology. This initiative has opened doors for several young talents who may otherwise have never had the opportunity to study tech-related fields. With numerous awards celebrating his contributions to both the tech sector and community development, Obie Okoye is not just an entrepreneur—he is a movement. His vision for an inclusive and tech-savvy Nigeria is driving change and inspiring countless individuals to embrace technology as a tool for personal and professional growth. As he continues to innovate and uplift communities, Obie Okoye stands as a testament to the positive influence that one person can have in shaping the future of technology and education in Nigeria. His journey underscores the belief that technology, when paired with social responsibility, can create endless possibilities for empowerment and growth.
Reactions are pouring after the death of Former President Jimmy Carter . He was 100. Here is a collection of reactions and statements from across the political spectrum mourning Carter's death. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. "Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian. Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what's extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe. He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism. We will always cherish seeing him and Rosalynn together. The love shared between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter is the definition of partnership and their humble leadership is the definition of patriotism. We will miss them both dearly, but take solace knowing they are reunited once again and will remain forever in our hearts. To the entire Carter family, we send our gratitude for sharing them with America and the world. To their staff - from the earliest days to the final ones - we have no doubt that you will continue to do the good works that carry on their legacy. And to all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning - the good life - study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility. He showed that we are great nation because we are a good people - decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong. To honor a great American, I will be ordering an official state funeral to be held in Washington D.C. for James Earl Carter, Jr., 39th President of the United States, 76th Governor of Georgia, Lieutenant of the United States Navy, graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and favorite son of Plains, Georgia, who gave his full life in service to God and country. "Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History. The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude. Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers." "For decades, you could walk into Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia on some Sunday mornings and see hundreds of tourists from around the world crammed into the pews. And standing in front of them, asking with a wink if there were any visitors that morning, would be President Jimmy Carter - preparing to teach Sunday school, just like he had done for most of his adult life. Some who came to hear him speak were undoubtedly there because of what President Carter accomplished in his four years in the White House - the Camp David Accords he brokered that reshaped the Middle East; the work he did to diversify the federal judiciary, including nominating a pioneering women's rights activist and lawyer named Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the federal bench; the environmental reforms he put in place, becoming one of the first leaders in the world to recognize the problem of climate change. Others were likely there because of what President Carter accomplished in the longest, and most impactful, post-presidency in American history - monitoring more than 100 elections around the world; helping virtually eliminate Guinea worm disease, an infection that had haunted Africa for centuries; becoming the only former president to earn a Nobel Peace Prize; and building or repairing thousands of homes in more than a dozen countries with his beloved Rosalynn as part of Habitat for Humanity. But I'm willing to bet that many people in that church on Sunday morning were there, at least in part, because of something more fundamental: President Carter's decency. Elected in the shadow of Watergate, Jimmy Carter promised voters that he would always tell the truth. And he did - advocating for the public good, consequences be damned. He believed some things were more important than reelection - things like integrity, respect, and compassion. Because Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he believed anything, that we are all created in God's image. Whenever I had a chance to spend time with President Carter, it was clear that he didn't just profess these values. He embodied them. And in doing so, he taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service. In his Nobel acceptance speech, President Carter said, "God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace." He made that choice again and again over the course of his 100 years, and the world is better for it. Maranatha Baptist Church will be a little quieter on Sundays, but President Carter will never be far away - buried alongside Rosalynn next to a willow tree down the road, his memory calling all of us to heed our better angels. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from this remarkable man." "James Earl Carter, Jr., was a man of deeply held convictions. He was loyal to his family, his community, and his country. President Carter dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn't end with the presidency. His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations. "We join our fellow citizens in giving thanks for Jimmy Carter and in prayer for his family." "Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others-until the very end. From his commitment to civil rights as a state senator and governor of Georgia; to his efforts as President to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama, and secure peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David; to his post-Presidential efforts at the Carter Center supporting honest elections, advancing peace, combating disease, and promoting democracy; to his and Rosalynn's devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity-he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world. Hillary and I met President Carter in 1975 and were proud, early supporters of his Presidential campaign. I will always be proud to have presented the Medal of Freedom to him and Rosalynn in 1999, and to have worked with him in the years after he left the White House." "President Carter was a trailblazer, a fighter who punched above his weight. While history may have been hard on President Carter at times, today, he is remembered as a global human rights leader. My father once said, "As long as there is poverty in this world, no man can be totally rich even if he has a billion dollars." President Carter, like my father, saw poverty as one of the greatest threats and was determined to eradicate it. I was honored that he selected me to represent our country on two foreign delegations that led to the creation of the African Initiative, a program which sought to end starvation in Africa. Over the years, my family found comfort in President Carter's wise counsel and strong leadership. Even after he left office, he carried on the legacies that my family has long-championed, the eradication of the triple evils - poverty, racism, and violence. We will truly miss President Carter, but we know that he would not want us to be saddened by his death, but proud of the work we've accomplished together and resolved to continue the work he started for the generations that come after us. Rest in peace, President Carter. You've earned it." "Today, we mourn the loss of one of our most humble and devoted public servants, President Jimmy Carter. President Carter personified the true meaning of leadership through service, through compassion, and through integrity. From his legacy as President, to his dedication to improving human rights across the globe, and his tireless efforts alongside his wife Rosalynn, in building a better world through Habitat for Humanity, he inspired millions with his unwavering commitment to justice and equality. President Carter's faith in the American people and his belief in the power of kindness and humility leave a strong legacy. He taught us that the strength of a leader lies not in rhetoric but in action, not in personal gain but in service to others. As we remember President Carter's extraordinary life, we also honor the countless lives he touched through his vision and generosity." "As the only American president thus far to come from Georgia, he showed the world the impact our state and its people have on the country. And as a son of Plains, he always valued Georgians and the virtues of our state, choosing to return to his rural home after his time in public office. Before becoming president, he worked to grow the state's economic success and position on the national and international stages as a state senator and the 76th governor of Georgia. Under his leadership, the European and Japanese state trade offices were launched, as well as the Georgia Film Commission. He and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter's support of the civil rights movement in the place of its birth is also remembered with deep appreciation. When he left the White House, the Carters' contributions continued. From teaching Sunday school to congregants and visitors alike over the years to their tireless work supporting Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center's efforts to address global health issues, Georgians are accustomed to seeing Jimmy Carter hard at work. As the longest-lived president in history, perhaps his greatest distinction is the happy marriage he enjoyed with First Lady Carter, spanning over 77 years - also the longest of any former president. Their family continues to be in our prayers as President Carter is reunited with his beloved wife and the world mourns this native Georgian, former state and national leader, and proud peanut farmer from Plains." "I am saddened to learn about the passing of President Jimmy Carter. I join all Americans in saluting President Carter for his lifetime of service, first as a naval officer, then as a senator in the Georgia legislature, then as Governor of Georgia, and, finally, as President of the United States. Jimmy Carter set the standard for post-presidential service through his work with Habitat for Humanity. Jennifer and I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the Carter family." "President Carter dedicated his life to serving our great nation and the people of Georgia. As a true servant-leader, he devoted his post-presidency to spreading the very best of American ideals across the globe. His commitment to peace, democracy, and human rights has left an indelible mark on the world." "Today, we mourn the loss of President Jimmy Carter, a man whose dedication to public service and humanitarian efforts left an indelible mark on our nation and the world. While we may have differed in our political beliefs, we acknowledge his unwavering commitment to his principles and his tireless work for peace and human rights. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations to serve others and strive for a better world. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time."Premier League leaders Liverpool ruthlessly exploited another slip by their title rivals to move seven points clear with a match in hand after a 3-1 win over Leicester. Chelsea’s surprise defeat at home to Fulham earlier in the day had been an unexpected gift for Arne Slot’s side and they drove home their advantage by outclassing the struggling Foxes. Having overcome the early setback of conceding to Jordan Ayew, with even the travelling fans expressing their surprise they were winning away after taking just five points on the road this season, the home team had too much quality. That was personified by the excellent Cody Gakpo, whose eighth goal in his last 14 appearances produced the equaliser in first-half added time with the Netherlands international unlucky to have a second ruled out for offside by VAR. Further goals from Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah, with his 19th of the season, stretched Liverpool’s unbeaten run to 22 matches. For Leicester, who had slipped into the bottom three after Wolves’ win over Manchester United, it is now one win from the last 10 in the league and Ruud van Nistelrooy has plenty of work to do, although he was not helped here by the absence of leading scorer Jamie Vardy through injury. It looked liked Liverpool meant business from the off with Salah’s volley from Gakpo’s far-post cross just being kept out by Jakub Stolarczyk, making his league debut after former Liverpool goalkeeper Danny Ward was omitted from the squad having struggled in the defeat to Wolves. But if the hosts thought that had set the tone they were badly mistaken after being opened up with such simplicity in only the sixth minute. Stephy Mavididi broke down the left and his low cross picked out Ayew, who turned Andy Robertson far too easily, with his shot deflecting off Virgil van Dijk to take it just out of Alisson Becker’s reach. With a surprise lead to cling to Leicester knew they had to quell the storm heading their way and they began by trying to take as much time out of the game as they could, much to Anfield’s frustration. It took a further 18 minutes for Liverpool to threaten with Gakpo cutting in from the left to fire over, a precursor for what was to follow just before half-time. That was the prompt for the attacks to rain down on the Foxes goal, with Salah’s shot looping up off Victor Kristiansen and landing on the roof of the net and Robertson heading against a post. Gakpo’s inclination to come in off the left was proving a problem for the visitors, doing their utmost to resist the pressure, but when Salah curled a shot onto the crossbar on the stroke of half-time it appeared they had survived. However, Gakpo once again drifted in off the flank to collect an Alexis Mac Allister pass before curling what is fast becoming his trademark effort over Stolarczyk and inside the far post. Early the second half Darwin Nunez fired over Ryan Gravenberch’s cross before Jones side-footed home Mac Allister’s cross after an intricate passing move inside the penalty area involving Nunez, Salah and the Argentina international. Leicester’s ambition remained limited but Patson Daka should have done better from a two-on-one counter attack with Mavididi but completely missed his kick with the goal looming. Nunez forced a save out of the goalkeeper before Gakpo blasted home what he thought was his second only for VAR to rule Nunez was offside in the build-up. But Liverpool’s third was eventually delivered by the left foot of Salah, who curled the ball outside Kristiansen, inside Jannick Vestergaard and past Stolarczyk inside the far post.By Prof. (Dr.) D.K. Giri Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a two-day visit to Kuwait on the invitation of the Emir. It was a historic event inasmuch as the Indian Prime Minister was visiting the country after a long gap of 43 years; Indira Gandhi was in Kuwait in 1981. Second, during this visit, bilateral relations between the two countries were elevated to a strategic partnership. Third, the Indian Prime Minister was conferred with the highest honour of Kuwait, ‘The Order of Mubarak AL-Kabeer’. A visit by the Head of State to a country indicates the importance attached to the host country by the visiting Head. The visit by Modi was significant as it came after 43 years by his predecessor. And it’s like the Prime Minister visiting Poland after a gap of 45 years that showed the priority India attaches to Poland. The strategic heft of Warsaw grew considerably after it joined the European Union and NATO. Poland was under the ‘Soviet/Russian sphere of influence’ and it borders Ukraine and Russia. Now it assumes the Presidency of the European Union, which, of course, is a rotating position. Likewise, Kuwait holds the Chair of six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). India is negotiating an FTA Agreement with GCC. Modi impressed upon the Emir, the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister of Kuwait for moving towards an early conclusion of an FTA with GCC. Notably, GCC countries hold 1/6th of India’s total trade, one third of India’s Diaspora, about 9 million Indians. A close cooperation with GCC is essential for India’s growth. Among GCC countries, Kuwait has been friendly with India, barring a downturn in ties during the Gulf War, to be more precise, Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. More on that, a bit later. Kuwait remains important to India. It has 6.5 per cent of world oil reserve, sixth largest crude oil and LPG supplier to India, meeting 3.5 per cent of India’s energy needs. Indians constitute 21 per cent of Kuwait’s population and 30 per cent of its work force. Indians are the largest expat group in Kuwait. While meeting with the Indian Diaspora in Kuwait, Modi lauded their contribution in talent, technology and traditions to the growth and development of Kuwait. He called them a ‘mini Hindustan’. In addition to one-to-one meeting with the Emir and at a delegation level with the Kuwait Prime Minister, he attended the inauguration of the Arabian Gulf Club football tournament. This was part of a cultural diplomacy allowing time for informal exchange of pleasantries between Heads of States. It is a popular tournament among eight countries, Kuwait having won the trophy more than any other teams. People-to-people exchange and cultural diplomacy enrich bilateral relations. Also, an MoU was signed for 2025-28 to promote cooperation in sports between the two countries. The strategic partnership, signed during the visit, aims at enhancing bilateral relations in all possible and potential sectors. This includes defence, wherein it would translate into joint military exercises, training of defence personnel, coastal defence, maritime safety, and joined development and production of defence equipment. It will also include counter terrorism operations, sharing of intelligence and information, anti-money laundering and drug-trafficking. The cooperation will deepen in pharmaceuticals, IT, Fin-tech, infrastructure, solar energy, health, digital, innovation, and textiles etc. It was decided to gradually move the focus from fossil fuel to trading in renewable energy, wherein it will be easier to step up cooperation as Kuwait is a member of the International Solar Alliance. Prime Minister Modi appreciably noted that ‘Made in India’ products were finding their way into Kuwait including automobiles, electrics, mechanical and telecom etc. He suggested that the petrochemical sector could be another big trade bridge between both countries as it is likely to grow up to 300b USD by 2025. The leadership of both countries agreed to promote business delegations from both countries and greater institutional linkages. Kuwait could explore more opportunities for investment in India. At the same time, Modi stressed that India has the technology and skills to contribute to making of a New Kuwait. On international politics, both leadership discussed Gaza and Ukraine. Modi reiterated his commitment to finding a negotiated solution to the war. On Gaza, he reaffirmed India’s commitment two-state solution by recourse to dialogue and diplomacy. He said ‘No’ to terrorist action that provokes retaliation causing deaths and destruction. It is necessary to recall that relations between India and Kuwait go back to millennia, as evidenced by discovery of the artifacts of pottery and jewellery from the Kuwait Island of Failaka. Before the oil was found in Kuwait, trade between India and Kuwait consisted of dates and pedigreed horses. After trading on horses stopped at the end of the Second World War, Pearls and teak wood were the items traded. As Kuwait got independence in 1961, India was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic contacts. In 1962, Kuwait supported India in its war with China. Ever since, the relations between both countries remained friendly. Kuwaitis concentrated in Bombay for their trade and commerce. Emir of Kuwait even had a house in Marine Drive in Mumbai. The bilateral relations plummeted by India’s pro-Iraq stance during Gulf War. New Delhi refused to condemn Iraq for invading and annexing Kuwait. India was the first country to shift her embassy from Kuwait to Basra, Iraq. It was surly bad diplomacy by New Delhi. It has often fumbled in condemning the aggression in balancing the principle of international law and national interest. It faltered in condemning Soviet occupation of Hungary in 1956, Afghanistan in 1979, Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait in 1990 and Ukraine in 2022. New Delhi gets away with such diplomatic faux pas as it has not attacked any country, nor has it incurred into territories of other countries. Talking of Kuwait, New Delhi almost repeated the mistake in Afghanistan. One statement, made during the Gulf War, indicates its confusion, “We regret that it had not been possible for Iraq and Kuwait to resolve their differences, we hope for Iraqi withdrawals (instead of calling for them)”. And in the same sentence, noted Iraqi statements in this connection. There was not a word of disapproval of Iraqi action. It is perhaps India’s policy of non-alignment in the past and strategic autonomy now that makes India tentative and vulnerable and thus New Delhi does not want to provoke enmity with anyone, even if it is an invader. The demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992 had thrown another spanner into the fragile relationship. However, that is history. Prime Minister Modi’s visit and Kuwait’s highest honour to him have put those two bad patches into the dustbin of history. Let it be said and realised that India, in quest for a world role and a big power status, should stand up for international law in keeping with her tradition for peace, non-violence, and non-aggression, unless it endorses a Darwinian world and lives by the logic of survival. —INFA
Patrick Mahomes is ready to throw a Hail Mary when it comes to Travis Kelce 's present. After all, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback was recently stumped by what to gift the tight end , who made NFL history on Christmas Day by becoming the player with the most receiving touchdowns in their team's history. "The guy's got everything," Patrick quipped in an interview that aired on Netflix Dec. 25. "Maybe some acting lessons." That, of course, was a reference to Travis' budding TV career after the 35-year-old made his acting debut in Ryan Murphy 's FX series Grotesquerie earlier this year. But according to the show's creator, Travis doesn't really need any acting advice . "A star is a star is a star—and he's a star," Ryan told E! News in September. "He had a great discipline, and he is everything you want him to be. He's a leader, and so sweet and so charming. First on the set, last to leave." Plus, Taylor Swift has been "very supportive" of Travis and his acting endeavors, according to the Emmy winner. "If he has an interest, she wanted him to try it," Ryan added. "I was thrilled about that." Likewise, Travis' Grotesquerie costar Courtney B. Vance had nothing but praise . "He was an absolute genius in preparation," the actor raved, "and a wonderful, wonderful man." And castmate Raven Goodwin couldn’t help but agree, calling Travis "so gracious, so sweet." "He can do anything he wants to do," she noted of the athlete's future as an actor. "He's Travis Kelce." So, does this mean fans can expect to see Travis—who recently appeared in a teaser for Happy Gilmore 2 — in a leading role ? "I'm open to everything," he told E! in October. "It's just got to be the right situation with the right people." To learn more about Travis off the field, keep reading. 1. Travis Kelce may be inextricably linked to Kansas City, Mo., for life, but he grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. And the man represents , shouting out his hometown instead of his alma mater, University of Cincinnati, during game broadcasts that include player introductions. Which, as you might guess, has irked some fellow alums. "It’s not because I don’t appreciate the time I had at the University of Cincinnati, because I do, I cherish it dearly," Travis said in 2019 when he and big brother Jason Kelce were inducted into the Cleveland Heights High School Hall of Fame. "But there was a time when I was at Cincinnati that it wasn't easy for me. It was tough. I got my scholarship taken from me. I did a lot of dumb things. I'm sure a lot of people in this room know someone from Heights that's done a lot of dumb things. To all my friends, I was that guy." And the Heights weren't just special to him, he continued, but "to every single person up here. How diverse this place is. It builds something in me. Every single thing I do is for this city. It sounds cliche, but I promise you, every single thing I do out there — when you see me dancing in the end zone, that’s Cleveland Heights, for you, right there." 2. About that revoked scholarship... After the Bearcats' undefeated 2009 season that included a Big East title, Travis failed a marijuana test ahead of the 2010 Sugar Bowl after partying too hard on New Year's Eve in New Orleans. Not only did he miss the bowl game, the NCAA suspended him for the 2010 season and he lost his scholarship. Finding himself without room and board, he moved in with Jason (literally into his brother's room in the house he shared with some teammates) and took a job as a telemarketer that entailed him asking anyone who picked up if they had thoughts about the Affordable Care Act. They did, and Travis could not wait to get back on the field. 3. Travis played hockey, baseball and basketball before getting into football, and he was a quarterback in high school. In fact, he was a two-star QB recruit for Cincinnati, and only ended up switching to tight end as a condition of his reinstatement to the team after his suspension. "We had an awesome quarterback at the time in Zach Collaros and we needed some help in the run game as well as the passing game," Travis told Arrowhead Pride after he was drafted by the Chiefs in 2013, "so I talked to coach Butch Jones , who was my coach at the time, and he said we need a tight end and my skill-set, athleticism and my direction all transferred over and it worked out perfect for me." Or, as he put it to GQ in 2017 while rehashing his un-shining moment, "Everybody my entire life had been telling me I was a tight end anyway." 4. The house at 127 W. Nixon St. where Travis bunked with Jason and some fellow Bearcats was the scene of a lot of beer-infused shenanigans. The brothers "used to love playing Nintendo 64 for hours, smashing the controls and chugging beers at the same time," college friend and teammate Tom DeTemple told the New York Times before the 2024 Super Bowl. "They would just come up with these random drinking games while playing, and they were incredibly good at it." 5. And suffice it to say, Travis is extremely proud of being a Bearcat. "It's all about Cincinnati, baby," he told reporters before the 2023 Super Bowl, which the Chiefs got to by beating the Bengals in the AFC Championship Game. "I've always been extremely prideful of coming from the University of Cincinnati. I finally got my diploma. I try to help out as much as I can. I go back to the university when I can. I just miss being around all those players that I played with, and all the people I met along the way there that have always been in my corner throughout the ups and downs of life." And when he was down in the eyes of the NCAA, he continued, "The players, the coaches, the staff that was at the university at the time—really believed in me to be able to turn things around and do better for myself. That was huge for me at the time." 6. Almost a decade after leaving college to enter the draft, Travis earned his degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2022—but didn't pick up his diploma until April 2024 during a surprise commencement ceremony after he and Jason taped a live episode of New Heights at Cincinnati's Fifth Third Arena. The graduate was already holding a can of beer as he approached the dean for his congratulatory handshake, after which he promptly chugged it . And Travis was going to graduate in 2022 but he missed his flight. 7. Largely due to his off-the-field issue, Travis ended up only the fifth tight end picked in the 2013 NFL Draft, going first in the third round to the Chiefs. After which coach Andy Reid , who'd previously coached Jason in Philadelphia, asked the elder Kelce sibling to vouch for Travis. Andy and Travis have three Super Bowl rings to show for Jason's endorsement. 8. His hype music may have changed since, but for years Travis listened to Randy Newman 's "Burn On" before every game. "I'm an east side of Cleveland kid so growing up, I don't know why, but this song brings me back to thinking about family and thinking about where I am in life and how much I appreciate it," he said on the NBC Sports podcast PFT Live in 2017. Let us explain: It's in the opening credits of Major League , the ultimate Cleveland sports movie. 9. Everyone, including Travis, is mispronouncing his last name. While he and Jason have just gone with Kelce sounding like "Kel-see," it actually rhymes with "else." Travis' teammate Chris Jones fired off that bombshell on Inside the NFL in January—"F--king crazy, right?"—and the brothers confirmed as much when they confronted their dad Ed Kelce about it on their New Heights podcast. "Why in the world did you change your name out of nowhere and now we are Kel-see?" Jason asked. "Why did we think that our name was Kel-see for the first 24 years... 27 years of my life, 25 of Trav's?" Ed admitted he "got tired of correcting people" but urged his son to "do whatever you want." 10. The No. 87 Travis has worn throughout his time in the NFL is a tribute to Jason, who was born in 1987. "If there is a Kelce legacy, two brothers making it to the NFL, it all started in 1987, because this big guy was born in 1987," Travis explained to NFL Films ahead of the 2023 Super Bowl featuring his Chiefs squaring off against Jason's Philadelphia Eagles . 11. Travis' foundation 87 and Running has been a longtime benefactor of Operation Breakthrough, a nonprofit learning center in Kansas City that the athlete has worked with since his first visit in 2015 to read The Cat in the Hat to the kids. Yes, reader, he wore the hat. Since then, Travis has invested in the program's Smart Lab and bought the former muffler shop next door so they could expand and create their Ignition Lab, where the young scholars converted old cars that could've ended up on the scrap heap into working electric vehicles. 12. Travis and Jason call their New Heights listeners "92 percenters" in reference to Jason once commenting that a play known as a quarterback sneak worked "92 percent of the time" when all you need is one yard to score a touchdown. Fans were apparently quite tickled and basically christened themselves the "92 percenters," according to the podcast's website , which likened it to "their secret handshake, but in words." Who were the Kelce brothers to argue with that? 13. Travis has three personal trainers— Alex Skacel , Andrew Spruill and Laurence Justin Ng —and, according to The Athletic , one usually travels with him wherever he goes to ensure he remains in football-catching shape all year round. Alex, who's also a physical therapist, recalled Travis wanting to go for a late night run after taking in a slate full of shows during Paris Fashion Week because he missed working out that day. "It's midnight, and we're doing sprints over the bridges over the river," the trainer told the New York Times in April. "No matter where he is, he finds time to get done whatever he needs to get done." 14. Travis' personal chef, Kumar Ferguson , has been a friend since the fourth grade in Cleveland Heights. He was an amateur cook working as a truck driver in 2016 when Travis called him up and offered him the opportunity. "He's like, 'Hey man, I want to take my diet seriously, and take it to the next level,'" Kumar told Vanity Fair in 2023. "I'm like, s--t, let's do it. Three or four days later, I was in Kansas City." He's been responsible for everything from stocking Travis' fridge to delivering well-balanced lunches to the Chiefs' training facility. 15. Travis' facial hair is under the microscope more than ever now, so he explained on New Heights that he shaved his off-season beard and kept the 'stache in 2023 as an homage to the walrus look favored by Andy Reid and decided to repeat in 2024. 16. The $34.25 million two-year contract Travis signed in April 2024 made him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL for the first time in his career. Which finally put an end to years of chatter about how much money he wasn't making. "My managers and agents love to tell me how underpaid I am," Travis quipped to Vanity Fair in 2023. "Any time I talk about wanting more money, they're just like, 'Why don't you go to the Chiefs and ask them?'" But by then, with many other sources of income having opened up for him, he cared more about the vibes than the paycheck. "I'm like, the free market looks like fun until you go somewhere and you don’t win," he explained. "I love winning. I love the situation I'm in." Seeing other players' huge paydays "hits you in the gut a little bit," he admitted. "It makes you think you’re being taken advantage of. I don't know if I really pressed the gas if I would get what I’m quote-unquote worth. But I know I enjoy coming to that building every single day." 17. Travis has been into clothes since growing up in Cleveland Heights, where his high school "was like a fashion show every day," he told Vanity Fair in 2023. Hence the bedroom he converted into a closet, the better to house his designer threads and more than 300 pairs of sneakers—including a pair of size-13 Nike Air Mags that he spent a sizable portion of his rookie year salary on despite them being a size too small. "Earlier on in my career, when they didn't have all these sneaker apps," he explained to the Wall Street Journal , "it was whatever size I could get in the shoe that I wanted." While he's very much a Nike guy (and not just because the brand sponsors him), Chuck Taylors also hold a space in his heart because they remind him of fictional baseball phenom Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez in The Sandlot . 18. Among his dozens of investments, Travis co-owns Ohio-brewed Garage Beer with Jason. "I think everyone knows I like to have a couple beers now and then," Travis said in a June statement , "so being an owner of Garage Beer and heavily involved in making the best light beer is exciting, man! There is nothing better to bring people together than an ice-cold beer, and for Jason and me that is what beer is all about—friends, family and fun." 19. We're sensing a theme when it comes to Travis' guilty pleasure TV choices. Back in the day, it was Gossip Girl : "I mean, it's awesome," he said on New Heights . "It like a New York high school show with a lot of drama and basically everybody gossiping and talking s--t on each other." His new favorite show? Peacock's Emmy-winning backstab-a-ganza The Traitors . 20. In his 12th year in the NFL at 35, Travis has been more open of late about the toll the game takes on the body. But he's been stoically getting hammered since day one, when he missed his rookie year with a microfracture in his knee that required the first of the 10 surgeries he's had in his career. 21. Travis put it out there, talking on New Heights about his thwarted attempt to give Taylor Swift a friendship bracelet with his number on it when the Eras Tour touched down in Kansas City. And after hearing through the grapevine (people in her camp who knew who Travis was and that he wanted to meet her), she contacted him . "She told me exactly what was going on," he told WSJ. Magazine , "and how I got lucky enough to get her to reach out to me." 22. One of Travis' favorite desserts since forever is French toast topped with whipped cream and syrups. But more recently he's become a fan of his girlfriend's homemade Pop-Tarts and cinnamon rolls . 23. At least one of Travis' ringtones is Chris Farley shrieking "For the love of God! " in Tommy Boy . "I told Taylor that I have that world, I've got to introduce it to her," he told WSJ. The Magazine of sharing his affinity for the comedy stylings of Farley, Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell with his girlfriend. "I let her know: This is my jam right here." 24. After screaming "You've got to fight for your right to party!" after their AFC Championship win over the Bengals in 2019, Travis inspired the Chiefs to start playing the Beastie Boys song of the same name following every home game touchdown at Arrowhead Stadium. "It's like an energy multiplier. That's hard to quantify just how important that is," Chiefs general manager Brett Veach told ESPN in 2020. "He plays with that kind of character, charisma, passion, and he brings people along with him. In our building, everybody is friends with Travis Kelce. He is an ultimate energy giver. He elevates everybody's mood, focus, attention and at the end of the day, he's still fun." But the boisterous celebrant who brought it into their lives admittedly didn't know all the words to the 1986 classic until he was tasked with performing it with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show in February 2023. 25. Speaking of his jams, in May 2024 Travis cited his three favorite Taylor songs as "Blank Space," "The Alchemy" and "So High School." Asked about it in September, however, his answer had changed to, "They're all my favorite—literally every single one." 26. Comparisons to the Chiefs' legendary tight end Tony Gonzalez , who retired in 2013 after 17 seasons in the league, started early for Travis. In 2015, when the chatter about whether he would, in fact, surpass Tony's achievements — and how disappointing it would be if he didn't — was heating up, Travis said he paid the noise no mind. "Nobody puts bigger expectations on me than myself," he told Complex . "I want to have the greatest season statistically that a tight end has ever had." On Sept. 29, Travis surpassed Tony to become the Chiefs' all-time leader in receptions with his 917th catch. "It's crazy how things always come full circle," Travis said on New Heights . "Being at the top of the leaderboard with the Kansas City Chiefs who have been around since the '60s, one of the beginning organizations that made it all the way through that are still at their peak. And a lot of that is due to the rich history they have and to a guy like Tony Gonzalez, who has been a mentor to me. I f--king love the guy." 27. Of Travis' many accomplishments, keeping his house in order on his own isn't one of them. "He can't clean," mom Donna Kelce told Extra in September. "He can't cook.” But perhaps hosting a special someone when she's in town has served as extra motivation to get it together. "He's getting a little better," Donna acknowledged. "I think he's getting some help."For German ‘sick leave detective’, business is booming
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle snubbed from Selfridges Christmas bauble collection
New Rebellion Unfolds: HTS's Rapid Rise in SyriaJERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen on Thursday targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports, while the World Health Organization's director-general said the bombardment occurred nearby as he prepared to board a flight in Sanaa, with a crew member injured. “The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge — just a few meters from where we were — and the runway were damaged,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on the social media platform X. He added that he and U.N. colleagues were safe. “We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave,” he said, without mentioning the source of the bombardment. The Israeli strikes followed several days of Houthi launches setting off sirens in Israel. The Israeli military said it attacked infrastructure used by the Iran-backed Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa and ports in the cities of Hodeida, Al-Salif and Ras Qantib, along with power stations, asserting they were used to smuggle in Iranian weapons and for the entry of senior Iranian officials. Israel's military didn't immediately respond to questions about Tedros' post but issued a statement saying it had "capabilities to strike very far from Israel’s territory — precisely, powerfully, and repetitively.” The strikes came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “the Houthis, too, will learn what Hamas and Hezbollah and Assad’s regime and others learned" as his military has battled those more powerful proxies of Iran. The Houthis' media outlet confirmed the strikes in a Telegram post, and the Houthi-controlled satellite channel al-Masirah reported multiple deaths. Iran's foreign ministry condemned the strikes. The U.S. military also has targeted the Houthis in Yemen in recent days. The United Nations has noted that the targeted ports are important entryways for humanitarian aid for Yemen, the poorest Arab nation that plunged into a civil war in 2014 . Over the weekend, 16 people were wounded when a Houthi missile hit a playground in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv , while other missiles and drones have been shot down. Last week, Israeli jets struck Sanaa and Hodeida, killing nine people, calling it a response to previous Houthi attacks. The Houthis also have been targeting shipping on the Red Sea corridor, calling it solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting Monday in response to an Israeli request that the council condemn the Houthi attacks and Iran for supplying weapons to the rebels. 5 journalists killed in Gaza Meanwhile, an Israeli strike killed five Palestinian journalists outside a hospital in the Gaza Strip overnight , the territory's Health Ministry said. The Israeli military said that all were militants posing as reporters. The strike hit a car outside Al-Awda Hospital in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The journalists were working for the local news outlet Al-Quds Today, a television channel affiliated with the Islamic Jihad militant group. Islamic Jihad is a smaller and more extreme ally of Hamas and took part in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack in southern Israel, which ignited the war. The Israeli military identified four of the men as combat propagandists and said that intelligence, including a list of Islamic Jihad operatives found by soldiers in Gaza, had confirmed that all five were affiliated with the group. Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian militant groups operate political, media and charitable operations in addition to their armed wings. Associated Press footage showed the incinerated shell of a van, with press markings visible on the back doors. Sobbing young men attended the funeral outside the hospital. The bodies were wrapped in shrouds, with blue press vests draped over them. The Committee to Protect Journalists says more than 130 Palestinian reporters have been killed since the start of the war. Israel hasn't allowed foreign reporters to enter Gaza except on military embeds. Israel has banned the pan-Arab Al Jazeera network and accused six of its Gaza reporters of being militants . The Qatar-based broadcaster denies the allegations and accuses Israel of trying to silence its war coverage, which has focused heavily on civilian casualties from Israeli military operations. Another Israeli soldier killed Separately, Israel's military said that a 35-year-old reserve soldier was killed during fighting in central Gaza early Thursday. A total of 389 soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the start of the ground operation more than a year ago. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed across the border in an attack on nearby army bases and farming communities. They killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250. About 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third believed to be dead. Israel's air and ground offensive has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry. It says more than half the fatalities have been women and children, but doesn't say how many of the dead were fighters. Israel says it has killed more than 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The offensive has caused widespread destruction and driven around 90% of the population of 2.3 million from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are packed into squalid tent camps along the coast, with little protection from the cold, wet winter. Also Thursday, people mourned eight Palestinians killed by Israeli military operations in and around the city of Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The Israeli military said that it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. ___ Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed. A previous version of this story was corrected to show that the name of the local news outlet is Al-Quds Today, not the Quds News Network. ___ Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Josef Federman And Wafaa Shurafa, The Associated Press
, born Eleanor Rosalynn Smith on August 18, 1927, in Plains, Georgia, was a prominent American public figure and the lifelong companion of the 39th president of the United States, . From an early age, Rosalynn demonstrated a remarkable dedication to her family, especially after the death of her father when she was 13 years old, assuming significant responsibilities at home. He and Rosalynn began dating in 1945. Carter, who was 20 at the time, was attending the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and stole a kiss from Rosalynn on their first date. He later told his mother that he wanted to marry her. On July 7, 1946, she married Jimmy Carter, cementing a union that would last more than seven decades. The couple had four children - John Carter, James Carter III, Donnel Carter and Amy Carter - as well as 25 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They remained completely devoted to each other throughout their lives. The longest-serving presidential couple in the U.S. As First Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981, Rosalynn Carter distinguished herself through her commitment to various social causes, most notably her advocacy for mental health. She was a staunch advocate for research in this area and worked tirelessly to eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness. She also represented the United States on diplomatic missions abroad, reflecting her deep commitment to public service. After her time in the White House, Rosalynn continued her humanitarian work alongside her husband through the Carter Center, an organization dedicated to promoting peace and human rights around the world. Her legacy endures as an example of dedication and service to the community, both nationally and internationally. Rosalynn died on November 19, 2023, in her hometown. In fact, former President Jimmy Carter, who died a year later on Sunday, December 29, 2024, made his last public appearance in November 2023 to mourn the loss of the love of his life at an intimate funeral in Plains, Georgia, that was limited to family and friends. "The best thing I ever did was marrying Rosa," Jimmy once said. "That's the pinnacle of my life, the best thing that happened to me."PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown’s troubles connecting on the field have yet to blow into a family feud inside the locker room — honest, both Philadelphia Eagles stars said. Between Hurts and Brown, it’s all good in Philly. “Me and Jalen are good,” Brown said. Added Hurts, “We’re good, we’re good.” So there will be no sit-ups in the driveway, no apologies on the front lawn, and certainly, it seems, no rift between Hurts and his No. 1 receiver. Hurts and Brown each downplayed any hint of a fissure Wednesday between the two after defensive end Brandon Graham appeared this week on a Philadelphia sports radio station and suggested there was friction between the Pro Bowl duo. The two were close friends long before they became teammates and Hurts is the godfather for Brown’s daughter. Graham’s comments — in which he noted “ things have changed ,” between the two, without offering specifics — exploded into tabloid and fan fodder this week in Philadelphia. His insinuations that the duo were not on the same page came on the heels of Brown’s quote after a sluggish win over Carolina that the “ offense ” wasn’t playing up to standard, even with the Eagles at 11-2. RELATED COVERAGE Chargers QB Justin Herbert does not practice because of left ankle injury Bills defense out to prove against high-scoring Lions that it’s better than its dud vs. Rams Saints QB situation remains cloudy as matchup with Washington nears “BG knows he spoke out of place,” Hurts said. Graham, who is sidelined with a triceps injury, clarified his comments later to an ESPN reporter, saying he made the wrong assumption about the relationship between Hurts and Brown and planned to apologize to both players. Brown, with 109 yards receiving combined the last two games, said his beef with the offense wasn’t directed at Hurts. It was everything from offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s play calling to execution to all the ingredients in a successful offense that make a team a Super Bowl contender. The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . The usually pass-happy Eagles have leaned more on running back Saquon Barkley, who set the franchise season rushing record of 1,623 yards against the Panthers and is chasing Eric Dickerson for the NFL mark. “Obviously, it’s not about running the ball,” Brown told reporters. “He’s about to win MVP. Clearly. What other things can we do on offense? We have to pass the ball. That can go into protection, that can go into picking up the block, that goes to us getting open quicker. Getting on the same page.” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said he never witnessed any issues between Hurts and Brown and only saw two players who worked hard together, even working on routes after practice and seemed to have a deep personal connection on and off the field. “You guys get to see three hours every Sunday where emotions can play as high as they’re going to play,” Sirianni said. “I get to see these guys every single day, how they go about their business and interact with each other.” Brown, who was coming off consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, wasn’t necessarily wrong in his frustration with the recent stagnation of the passing game. Hurts, who signed a contract extension ahead of the 2023 season that was worth $179.3 million guaranteed , has thrown for fewer than 200 yards in three straight games. Wide receiver DeVonta Smith — who also complained Sunday about the offense — was also coming off consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons but has yet to break 100 yards in a game this season. Brown has four 100-yard games, well off last season’s run when he topped 100 yards in six straight games and seven times overall. Hurts has been more efficient than explosive this season but has still thrown 12 touchdown passes to just one interception — and rushed for 11 more scores — during the Eagles’ nine-game winning streak that has them on the brink of clinching the NFC East. Maybe playing the Steelers on Sunday at home can snap the Eagles out of their offensive malaise. Hurts threw three TD passes to Brown in a 35-13 win in 2022. “Do we all have things to get better at in the passing game? Yeah, I think that’s obvious,” Sirianni said. “I think that’s what we’ve been talking about. We all have things that we’ve got to get better at, coaches, players. But this is why this is the greatest team sport there is. It takes everybody. It takes every single person being together, every single person for the success to happen. It’s just not a one-person thing.” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
YOURSAY | Govt should do more to control soaring food pricesJanet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-January
BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Aston Villa says it has failed in an attempt to have Jhon Duran’s red card at Newcastle overturned on appeal. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Aston Villa says it has failed in an attempt to have Jhon Duran’s red card at Newcastle overturned on appeal. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Aston Villa says it has failed in an attempt to have Jhon Duran’s red card at Newcastle overturned on appeal. The 21-year-old Colombia international was sent off 32 minutes into a 3-0 defeat in the Premier League at St. James’ Park on Thursday after appearing to stamp on defender Fabian Schar, prompting a furious reaction from Villa head coach Unai Emery, who later indicated that the club would appeal. However, Villa said Friday night that its bid was unsuccessful and the forward will now serve a three-match ban for violent conduct. “Aston Villa can confirm that our decision to appeal Jhon Duran’s red card in our match with Newcastle United has been rejected,” a statement on Villa’s official X account read. “The player will now miss our next three matches.” Duran will miss Premier League games against Brighton and Leicester, followed by Villa’s FA Cup third-round match with West Ham on Jan. 10. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Advertisement
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves delayed their game against the San Antonio Spurs by one hour on Sunday night due to an issue with the court at Target Center. The Timberwolves announced the decision about three hours before the originally scheduled tipoff time. The Spurs discovered the problem during their morning shootaround, Timberwolves spokesman Patrick Rees said. The team decided to delay the game so arena staff had enough time to install the replacement court that had to be delivered from elsewhere. The Timberwolves have played at Target Center since 1990. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
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Neal Maupay incurred the wrath of Everton fans once more after taking aim at his parent club on social media. French striker Maupay joined the Toffees from Brighton in the summer of 2022, but found the net just once after his big-money move. He was allowed to join Brentford on loan last term, and is spending the current campaign out on loan again - this time with Marseille . The 28-year-old is set to join the French club permanently at the end of the season, and has already scored more goals in just 11 games than in a full season with Everton. His parent club have been struggling, with no player scoring more than three league goals for Sean Dyche's side. Everton lost 2-0 to Nottingham Forest on Sunday to leave themselves three points clear of the drop zone. That gap could narrow even further if Ipswich beat Chelsea on Monday night, and Maupay appeared to enjoy Everton's struggles. "Whenever I’m having a bad day I just check the Everton score and smile," the striker wrote . A number of Everton fans took the bait, with some pointing to his dismal goalscoring record at Goodison Park. "Craig Dawson scored more goals for us than you did mate," wrote one, referencing the Wolves defender's brace of own goals in a meeting this season. Another pointed to the fact that former Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard was able to match Maupay's tally of one goal for the club. While he only has two goals this term, Maupay added four assists in his last four Ligue 1 games after breaking into Roberto De Zerbi's starting line-up at Stade Velodrome. Three of those four matches ended in wins for Marseille, who sit second behind league leaders Paris Saint-Germain. What did you make of Neal Maupay's comments? Havr your say in the comments section Everton lost their first four Premier League matches of the season but had been beaten just twice in the next 13 outings before Nottingham Forest came to Goodison Park on Sunday. High-flying Forest came away with all three points, though, with goals from Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White sending them second. "At the end of the day, you know I thought their centre-forward Chris Wood, who I have worked with before, was excellent," Everton boss Dyche said after the defeat. "He didn’t get many touches of the ball but his work ethic, his belief, his consistency, his physicality – and then he gets his reward with a goal. "That can often be the difference. I've spoken to our centre-forwards about it because I want them to learn and continue to learn about what it is. It can't all be beautiful, it can't all be pure. I thought he was excellent doing the ugly, hard yards today. I think that gave them a focal point, which they've had all season. "I was speaking to our players about how I consider them to be top players and that's just doing the hard yards, you know, really working hard to fight and graft and work for your team and then your rewards come. That's something we've got to continually learn because we’ve got to find a way of scoring goals." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sky has slashed the price of its Sky Sports, Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £240 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Nasdaq surges above 20,000 after US inflation data matches estimatesWASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling , as early as January 14, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon. "Treasury expects to hit the statutory debt ceiling between January 14 and January 23," she wrote in a letter addressed to House and Senate leadership, at which point extraordinary measures would be used to prevent the government from breaching the nation's debt ceiling — which was suspended until Jan. 1, 2025. The department in the past deployed what are known as “extraordinary measures” or accounting maneuvers to keep the government operating. Once those measures run out, the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow. "I respectfully urge Congress to act to protect the full faith and credit of the United States," Yellen said. The news came after Democratic President Joe Biden signed a bill into law last week that averted a government shutdown but did not include Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s core debt demand to raise or suspend the nation’s debt limit. Congress approved the bill only after a fierce internal debate among Republicans over how to handle Trump's demand. “Anything else is a betrayal of our country,” Trump said in a statement. After a protracted debate in the summer of 2023 over how to fund the government, policymakers crafted the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which included suspending the nation's $31.4 trillion borrowing authority until Jan. 1, 2025. Notably however, Yellen said, on Jan. 2 the debt is projected to temporarily decrease due to a scheduled redemption of nonmarketable securities held by a federal trust fund associated with Medicare payments. As a result, “Treasury does not expect that it will be necessary to start taking extraordinary measures on January 2 to prevent the United States from defaulting on its obligations," she said. The federal debt stands at about $36 trillion — after ballooning across both Republican and Democratic administrations. The spike in inflation after the COVID-19 pandemic pushed up government borrowing costs such that debt service next year will exceed spending on national security. Republicans, who will have full control of the White House, House and Senate in the new year, have big plans to extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts and other priorities but are debating over how to pay for them.Abortions are up in the US. It's a complicated picture as women turn to pills, travel
JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen on Thursday targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports, while the World Health Organization's director-general said the bombardment occurred nearby as he prepared to board a flight in Sanaa, with a crew member injured. “The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge — just a few meters from where we were — and the runway were damaged,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on the social media platform X. He added that he and U.N. colleagues were safe. “We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave,” he said, without mentioning the source of the bombardment. The Israeli strikes followed several days of Houthi launches setting off sirens in Israel. The Israeli military said it attacked infrastructure used by the Iran-backed Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa and ports in the cities of Hodeida, Al-Salif and Ras Qantib, along with power stations, asserting they were used to smuggle in Iranian weapons and for the entry of senior Iranian officials. Israel's military didn't immediately respond to questions about Tedros' post but issued a statement saying it had "capabilities to strike very far from Israel’s territory — precisely, powerfully, and repetitively.” The strikes came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “the Houthis, too, will learn what Hamas and Hezbollah and Assad’s regime and others learned" as his military has battled those more powerful proxies of Iran. The Houthis' media outlet confirmed the strikes in a Telegram post, and the Houthi-controlled satellite channel al-Masirah reported multiple deaths. Iran's foreign ministry condemned the strikes. The U.S. military also has targeted the Houthis in Yemen in recent days. The United Nations has noted that the targeted ports are important entryways for humanitarian aid for Yemen, the poorest Arab nation that plunged into a civil war in 2014 . Over the weekend, 16 people were wounded when a Houthi missile hit a playground in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv , while other missiles and drones have been shot down. Last week, Israeli jets struck Sanaa and Hodeida, killing nine people, calling it a response to previous Houthi attacks. The Houthis also have been targeting shipping on the Red Sea corridor, calling it solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting Monday in response to an Israeli request that the council condemn the Houthi attacks and Iran for supplying weapons to the rebels. 5 journalists killed in Gaza Meanwhile, an Israeli strike killed five Palestinian journalists outside a hospital in the Gaza Strip overnight , the territory's Health Ministry said. The Israeli military said that all were militants posing as reporters. The strike hit a car outside Al-Awda Hospital in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The journalists were working for the local news outlet Al-Quds Today, a television channel affiliated with the Islamic Jihad militant group. Islamic Jihad is a smaller and more extreme ally of Hamas and took part in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack in southern Israel, which ignited the war. The Israeli military identified four of the men as combat propagandists and said that intelligence, including a list of Islamic Jihad operatives found by soldiers in Gaza, had confirmed that all five were affiliated with the group. Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian militant groups operate political, media and charitable operations in addition to their armed wings. Associated Press footage showed the incinerated shell of a van, with press markings visible on the back doors. Sobbing young men attended the funeral outside the hospital. The bodies were wrapped in shrouds, with blue press vests draped over them. The Committee to Protect Journalists says more than 130 Palestinian reporters have been killed since the start of the war. Israel hasn't allowed foreign reporters to enter Gaza except on military embeds. Israel has banned the pan-Arab Al Jazeera network and accused six of its Gaza reporters of being militants . The Qatar-based broadcaster denies the allegations and accuses Israel of trying to silence its war coverage, which has focused heavily on civilian casualties from Israeli military operations. Another Israeli soldier killed Separately, Israel's military said that a 35-year-old reserve soldier was killed during fighting in central Gaza early Thursday. A total of 389 soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the start of the ground operation more than a year ago. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed across the border in an attack on nearby army bases and farming communities. They killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250. About 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third believed to be dead. Israel's air and ground offensive has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry. It says more than half the fatalities have been women and children, but doesn't say how many of the dead were fighters. Israel says it has killed more than 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The offensive has caused widespread destruction and driven around 90% of the population of 2.3 million from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are packed into squalid tent camps along the coast, with little protection from the cold, wet winter. Also Thursday, people mourned eight Palestinians killed by Israeli military operations in and around the city of Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The Israeli military said that it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. ___ Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed. A previous version of this story was corrected to show that the name of the local news outlet is Al-Quds Today, not the Quds News Network. ___ Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Josef Federman And Wafaa Shurafa, The Associated PressPresident-elect Donald Trump campaigned on the promise that his policies would reduce high borrowing costs and lighten the financial burden on American households. But what if, as many economists expect, interest rates remain elevated, well above their pre-pandemic lows? Trump could point a finger at the Federal Reserve, and in particular at its chair, Jerome Powell, whom Trump himself nominated to lead the Fed. During his first term, Trump repeatedly and publicly ridiculed the Powell Fed, complaining it kept interest rates too high. Trump’s attacks on the Fed raised widespread concern about political interference in the Fed’s policymaking. Powell, for his part, emphasized the importance of the Fed’s independence: “That gives us the ability to make decisions for the benefit of all Americans at all times, not for any particular political party or political outcome.” Political clashes might be inevitable in the next four years. Trump’s proposals to cut taxes and impose steep and widespread tariffs are a recipe for high inflation in an economy operating at close to full capacity. And if inflation were to reaccelerate, the Fed would need to keep interest rates high. Because Powell won’t necessarily cut rates as much as Trump will want. And even if Powell reduces the Fed’s benchmark rate, Trump’s own policies could keep other borrowing costs — such as mortgage rates — elevated. The sharply higher tariffs that Trump vowed to impose could worsen inflation. And if tax cuts on things like tips and overtime pay — another Trump promise — quickened economic growth, that, too, could fan inflationary pressures. The Fed would likely respond by slowing or stopping its rate cuts, thereby thwarting Trump’s promises of lower borrowing rates. The central bank might even raise rates if inflation worsens. “The risk of conflict between the Trump administration and the Fed is very high,” Olivier Blanchard, former top economist at the International Monetary Fund, said recently. If the Fed increases rates, “it will stand in the way of what the Trump administration wants.” Yes, but with the economy sturdier than expected, the Fed’s policymakers may cut rates only a few more times — fewer than anticipated just a month or two ago. And those rate cuts might not reduce borrowing costs for consumers and businesses very much. The Fed’s key short-term rate can influence rates for credit cards, small businesses and some other loans. But it has no direct control over longer-term interest rates. These include the yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which affects mortgage rates. The 10-year Treasury yield is shaped by investors’ expectations of future inflation, economic growth and interest rates as well as by supply and demand for Treasuries. An example occurred this year. The 10-year yield fell in late summer in anticipation of a Fed rate cut. Yet once the first rate cut occurred Sept. 18, longer-term rates didn’t fall. Instead, they began to rise again, partly in anticipation of faster economic growth. Trump also proposed a variety of tax cuts that could swell the deficit. Rates on Treasury securities might then have to be increased to attract enough investors to buy the new debt. “I honestly don’t think the Fed has a lot of control over the 10-year rate, which is probably the most important for mortgages,” said Kent Smetters, an economist and faculty director at the Penn Wharton Budget Model. “Deficits are going to play a much bigger role in that regard.” Occasional or rare criticism of the Fed chair isn’t necessarily a problem for the economy, so long as the central bank continues to set policy as it sees fit. But persistent attacks would tend to undermine the Fed’s political independence, which is critically important to keeping inflation in check. To fight inflation, a central bank often must take steps that can be highly unpopular, notably by raising interest rates to slow borrowing and spending. Political leaders typically want central banks to do the opposite: keep rates low to support the economy and the job market, especially before an election. Research has found that countries with independent central banks generally enjoy lower inflation. Even if Trump doesn’t technically force the Fed to do anything, his persistent criticism could still cause problems. If markets, economists and business leaders no longer think the Fed is operating independently and instead is being pushed around by the president, they’ll lose confidence in the Fed’s ability to control inflation. Once consumers and businesses anticipate higher inflation, they usually act in ways that fuel higher prices — accelerating their purchases, for example, before prices increase further, or raising their own prices if they expect their expenses to increase. “The markets need to feel confident that the Fed is responding to the data, not to political pressure,” said Scott Alvarez, a former general counsel at the Fed. He can try, but it would likely lead to a prolonged legal battle that could even end up at the Supreme Court. At a November news conference, Powell made clear that he believes the president doesn’t have legal authority to do so. Most experts think Powell would prevail in the courts. And from the Trump administration’s perspective, such a fight might not be worth it. Powell’s term ends in May 2026, when the White House could nominate a new chair. It is also likely the stock market would tumble if Trump attempted such a brazen move. Bond yields would probably increase, too, sending mortgage rates and other borrowing costs up. Financial markets might also react negatively if Trump is seen as appointing a loyalist as Fed chair to replace Powell in 2026. Yes, and in the most egregious cases, it led to stubbornly high inflation. Notably, President Richard Nixon pressured Fed Chair Arthur Burns to reduce interest rates in 1971, which the Fed did, as Nixon sought reelection the next year. Economists blame Burns’ failure to keep rates sufficiently high for contributing to the entrenched inflation of the 1970s and early 1980s. Thomas Drechsel, an economist at the University of Maryland, said that when presidents intrude on the Fed’s interest rate decisions, “it increases prices quite consistently and it increases expectations, and ... that worries me because that means inflation might become quite entrenched.” Since the mid-1980s, with the exception of Trump in his first term, presidents have scrupulously refrained from public criticism of the Fed. “It’s amazing, how little manipulation for partisan ends we have seen of that policymaking apparatus,” said Peter Conti- Brown, a professor of financial regulation at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. “It really is a triumph of American governance.” Get local news delivered to your inbox!